Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-10-26
A STARTLING STORY.
At the Inquest Over Ben
hayon's Remains.
HIS CONFESSION Is PRODUCED
In 1t He States That He Poisoned
His Sister-A Deliberately
Planned Crime.

Associated Press Dispatches to the HEEALD
SAN Francisco, October 25.-In the
Coroner's inquest tonight over the
body of Henry Benhayon, who COM
mitted suicide Sunday last, Ben
hayon's mother was the first witness
called She was examined at length
but more especially with regard to
certain letters supposed to have been
written by Benhayon. She appeared
somewhat furried, but pronounced
nearly all the letters and addresses on
the envelopes that were submitted as
not in the handwriting Of her son.
Mrs. Maggie Higson, landlady Of
the house in which Benhayon was
found, gave detailed and clear state
ment OF the renting of a room to q
stranger and of finding Benhayon's s
body.
When Coroner Stanton was called,
he made brief statement and read
the following as
BENHAYoN s CONFESSION.
DR.. J. J. Stanton, Coroner: SIR.-
That l may not change my resolve l
send you this in advance. l am the
cause of my sister, Cecilia Bowers
death, on November l, 1885. l could
not keep the horrible secret any lon
ger. This is one of my rea-
sons for making my exit from the
worlds stage. DR.. Bowers knew moth
ingof my plot, and had no hand in her
death. No one is to blame but my
self, and | take this step to relieve
myself from further misery and all
concerned. / don't wish 20 see my
mother.
THE HISTORY OF THE TRAGEDY
Commences after my sister married
DR.. Bowers. | had certain reasons to
think he would soon leave her. She
always quarrelled with him. On one
occasion she said she would poison
him first before he should lea> = her.
| said in Jest, have him insured first
She said, 'all right Bowers for
long time objected, but finally she
conquered. If it will keep you out OF
mischief he said, go ahead My
sister joined several lodges also. Later
ON Bowers became member
OF the Knights of the Golden
Rule. l got the stuff ready
to dispose OF him, but my sister
would not listen to my proposition
and threatened to expose me. AT
ter my sister was sick and for
some time 1 felt an irresistible inn
pulse to use the stuff on her and finish
Bowers later. would then become
administrator for my niece Tillie, who
would have the benefit of the insur-
ance. / think 1t was on Friday, No
vember oath, l took one pill and
capsule out of the box, and filled the
capsule with two kinds of poison.
l put the capsule back and took an
other, until l exchanged four cap
sules. After my sister died, took
two poisoned capsules that
[ had marked, out OF her
pill-box. The pill and capsule
1 took to Mr.. Falk. l filled it myself.
Those l gave DR.. Dennis were some
that DIR. Martin had prescribed for my
sister | did so because, on second
thought, found l had no excuse for
having them on my person. l did
not think that Bowers would get in
any trouble, for the person that furn-
ished me the poison said that the
chemist told him that no doctor could
find it in the stomach, for it was blood
poison. He called the stuff, think,
active principal Of Digitalis, or name
something like it: This person COM
mitted suicide before the trial, and as
his name may implicate others / will
end the tragedy.
II. BENHAYoN.
Ipoisoned f. Pollies with the same
stuff. l also took Bowers money out
OF his Office desk after my sisters
death. H. BENHAYoN.
7 likewise forced my sister to
give me an order for her insurance
policy on the friends of the Pacific and
l dared not present it. / made this
confession to correct some mistakes in
my lost memorandum book as used
PERSONS names that had no connection
with the affair
H. BENHAYoN,
San Francisco, October 22d, 1887.
ANOTHER LETTER
Was salso produced supposed to
have been written by Benhayon to G.
Dimmig on October 22d, in which the
former tells the latter that it appears
to be all up with him and asking Dim
mig to come to him (Benhayon) at
once.
A SENSATIONAL M1sSIyE.
Captain Lees caused a sensation in
the room by submitting letter that
he had received by special delivery
this evening. The letter appeared to
be in the same handwriting as those
found after Benhayon's death. This
letter was dated December 4, 1885,
and signed d. Lemp. In it occurs
the following language:
81 am glad you are acquainted with
the Bird family. See if you can get the
daughter as witness against the MUIR
der of my sister Cecilia. She was
everything to me and [ must have him
convicted else it will be all up with
me-"
CONTINUED UNTIL TO-DAY.
After consideration of a few other
points the inquest was continued until
tomorrow at Pm. Instead OF the
inquest making this somewhat noted
case clearer it has so far had the oppo-
site effect.